Apparatus and method for making piles on a base fabric

ABSTRACT

A BASE FABRIC, SUCH AS FIBROUS FLEECE SHEET, IS PERFORATED FROM OPPOSITE SIDES BY NEEDLES KNITTING WALES AND COURSES. THE LOOPS OF SUCCESSIVE COURSES ARE ALTERNATINGLY PLACED IN ADJACENT WALES SO THAT BACK LOOP PORTIONS EXTEND BETWEEN ADJACENT WALES, AND CAN BE DRAWN OUT TO FORM PILE LOOPS.

Nov. 2, 1971 F. JINDRA ErAL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING FILES ON A BASE FABRIC Filed Sept. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l w mm R ND Y O B NIIE D 6 .N N llwn d 4 CW N000 mm 4. u P Y Nov. 2, 1971 F.JINDRA ETI'AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING FILES ON A BASE FABRIC Filed Sept. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 u r 3b MHZ R onmfl n T N NADM IPR wmm m mwmm/m T m United States Patent Office 3,616,658 Patented Nov. 2., 1971 3,616,658 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING PILES ON A BASE FABRIC Frantisek Jindra, Domazlice, Richard Boruta, As, and Bohumil Barton, Kdyne, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Elitex-Zavod textilniho strojirenstvi, generalni reditelstvi, Liberec, Czechoslovakia Filed Sept. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 858,935 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, Sept. 19, 1968, 6,558/68 Int. Cl. D04b 23/02 US. Cl. 66-87 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A base fabric, such as a fibrous fleece sheet, is perforated from opposite sides by needles knitting wales and courses. The loops of successive courses are alternatingly placed in adjacent wales so that back lOOp portions extend between adjacent wales, and can be drawn out to form pile loops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to provide a base sheet with a knitted pile on one or both sides of a base sheet which may be a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a fibrous fleece. In one arrangement of the prior art, threads are threaded through the base by a sewing needle, which has the disadvantage that the loops are not firmly anchored in the base, and that the length of the loops can be changed. Another arrangement according to the prior art provides the sewing of the base by a sewing needle having an extended loop which is held by a latch needle located on the side of the base remote from the sewing needle, and in a position perpendicular to the sewing needle. The disadvantage of this known construction is again that the loops are not firmly anchored in the base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior art arrangements for making a pile on one side, or preferably piles on both sides of a base sheet.

Another object of the invention is to knit firmly anchored pile loops to a base sheet.

Another object of the invention is to knit loops in courses and wales through a base sheet so that back loop portions extend between adjacent wales, and to draw out the back loop portions into pile loops.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient apparatus for knitting bilateral piles to a base fabric.

With these objects in view, at least one system of yarns is knitted through a base fabric so that each thread forms in successive courses loops located in two different wales whereby back loops are formed between the wales. Back loops are drawn out by sinkers of a loop comb to the length of pile loops, and at least one other system of yarns is knitted in the same manner through the base fabric during the drawing out of the back loops on the other side of the base fabric.

A preferred method of the invention comprises the following steps:

Knitting first yarns from one side of a base fabric to the other side of the same to form first wales and first courses of first loops having a front loop portion on one side and a first back loop portion on the other side; placing the first loops in each successive course in another wale,

preferably in two adjacent wales, so that front loop portions consisting of different first yarns alternate on one side, and first back loop portions extending between first wales, and consisting of different yarns, alternate on the other side of the base fabric in each wale; drawing out the first back loop portions to form first pile loops; knitting after the knitting of the first course, and preferably during the drawing out of the first back loop portions, second yarns from the other side of the base fabric to form second wales and second courses consisting of second loops having front loop portions and second back loop portions which are placed in each successive second course in another second wale so that second loops consisting of different yarns alternate in each second course whereby second back loop portions extend between the second wales; and drawing out the second back loop portions to form second pile loops so that first and second pile loops are located on opposite sides of the base fabric.

An apparatus according to the invention for performing the method, comprises two supportingcombs, and two loop combs arranged in four courses between two opposite supporting means. The sinkers of all four loop combs are parallel to each other, and at least one yarn guide means is mounted on either side of the base fabric and cooperate with reciprocating needles located on the respective other side of the base fabric.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation illustrating the knitting devices of the embodiment of FIG. 2 on a larger scale;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation illustrating an apparatus for forming a bilateral pile on a base fabric; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a bilateral pile fabric produced on the apparatus of FIG. 1 and in accordance with the method of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus has two opposite supporting means 1 and 2 on which needles 3 and 4 are mounted in a slanted position on opposite sides of a base fabric 13. The angle between the needles 3 and 4 is less than Between the two supporting means 1 and 2, two support combs 5 and 6, and two loop combs 7 and 8 are arranged in a position in which the supporting combs 5 are located directly adjacent opposite sides of the base fabric 13, while loop combs 7 and 8 are mounted on support combs 5 and 6, respectively. Support combs 5 and -6 support sinkers 9 and 10, respectively, and loop combs 7 and 8 support sinkers 11 and 12, respectively. The height of sinkers 9 and 10 may differ. The loop combs 7 and 8 are mounted on support combs 5 and 6 movable in a direction transverse the direction S, see FIG. 1, in which the base fabric 13 moves. Base fabric 13 may be a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a fibrous fleece which is withdrawn from a let-off reel 21 through tensioning means 22 by transporting rollers 25 and then guided over roller 26 in the direction T to a take-up reel, not shown.

Each of supporting means 1 and 2 carries at least one, and in the illustrated embodiment, two yarn guide means 14, 15 and 16, 17 which supply yarns or threads 18 and 19, respectively, to the hooks 20 of needles 4 and 3. In FIG. 1, only the yarn guide 14 supplies a yarn 18 and the yarn guide 16 supplies a yarn 19, while in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, also yarn guides 15 and 17 are operative to supply yarns 18 and 19. Yarns 18 are supplied by bobbins 33 and 34, and yarns 19 are supplied by bobbins 35 and 36.

Latch beds 27 and 28 support latches 29, 30 which cooperate with the respective needle hooks to close the same during movement of the respective needle through the base fabric, and to open the hook when the needle catches the thread. Each needle 3 cooperates with a pair of sinkers 9 and 11, and each needle 4 cooperates with a pair of sinkers and 12. The yarn guide means 14 and 15, cooperate with needle 4, and the yarn guide means 16 and 17 cooperate with needle 3, the needles and yarn guides being, respectively, located on opposite sides of the supporting combs 5 and loop combs 7. Yarn guide means 14, are mounted on a carrier which is oscillated by shaft 31, and yarn guide means 16 and 17 are mounted on a carrier which is oscillated by shaft 32. In accordance with the method of the present invention, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is operated as follows:

The base fabric is pulled by transporting rollers to an operative position in which it is tensioned by rollers 22, and located between the support combs 5 and 6 and stationary sinkers 9 and 10. The base fabric is stopped, and needles 3 are operated to penetrate the base fabric 13, and to catch a yarn 19 on the remote side of the base fabric whereupon the latch 29 is closed and the yarn 19 is pulled through the base fabric to form a loop. Needles 3 and needles 4 are alternatingly operated to form first and second courses and first and second wales on opposite sides of the base fabric 13. The movements of support beds 1 and 2 is controlled by a mechanism, not shown, by which the motion of the inoperative support bed is slowed down in such a manner that the needles 3 of support bed 1, for example, enter base fabric 13 after completion of the working cycle of needles 4 of the respective other support bed, for example support bed 2.

The needles 3 and 4 knit yarns in accordance with a known pattern in which the loops of each yarn are located in adjacent wales in each successive course so that the needles do not form wales consisting of chain stitches. The threads 18 form loops having back loop portions 23 laid over the sinkers 11 of the loop comb 7 while the threads 19, passing through the base fabric 13 in the same manner, form back loops 23 on sinkers 12 of loop comb 8. By operation of loop combs 7 and 8, respectively, in synchronism with the needle operations, the back loop portions 23 and 23' are drawn out to be of greater length, as required for pile loops. It is possible to provide a greater number of yarn guides for threads 18 and 19, respectively, but for the sake of clarity, only one system of yarn guides and yarns is shown on either side of the base fabric in the drawing.

After the needles 3 have knitted a course of loops, the base fabric with the knitted course is transported by transporting rollers 25 for a distance which is half the spacing between two courses, whereupon the needles 4 are operated to knit the next course. Consequently, in the final pile fabric 14, pile loops 23 and 23 are staggered to each other half the distance between two courses. The back loop portions 23' formed of yarns 19, are also drawn out by movement of sinkers 12 of loop comb 8 away from sinkers 10 of support comb 6, so that pile loops 23 and 23' are formed on both sides of the base fabric.

The needle operations required for the above-described method, will be best understood with reference to the produced pile fabric 14 shown in FIG. 3. The back loop portions formed by yarns 18 are generally indicated 23, while the back loop portions formed of yarns 19 are generally indicated 23. Specifically, each yarn 19 has front loop portions 19a which, in successive courses, are located in two adjacent wales, and are connected with each other by back loop portions 19b. Another yarn 19 forms a front loop portion 190, and back loop portions 19d on the other side of the fabric, connecting two front loop portions 19c.

4 The slanted back loop portions 1% and 19d are drawn out by sinkers 12 to form pile loops.

Yarn 18 forms front loop portions 18a located on the other side of the fabric as compared with the front loop portions 19a, and located in two adjacent wales, alternating with front loop portions 180. The back loop portions 18b of front loop portions 18a, and the back loop portions 18d of front loop portions 18c, are located on the front of the base fabric, and are drawn out by sinkers 11 of loop comb 7 to form pile loops on the front of the fabric.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the needles 3 and 4 are operated so that the first and second wales formed of yarns 18 and 19, respectively, register with each other, while the courses formed of yarns 18 are staggered to the courses formed of yarn 19 half the distance between two courses formed of the same yarn.

In order to produce pile only on one side of the base fabric, needle 3 and yarn guides 16 and 17, for example, are rendered inoperative.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of methods for forming a pile on a base fabric differing from the types described. above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and apparatus for making knitted piles on both sides of a base fabric, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. Method of making bilateral piles on a base fabric, comprising knitting first yarns from one side of a base fabric to the other side of the same to form first wales and first courses of first loops having a front loop portion on said one side and a first back loop portion on said other side; placing said first loops in each successive course in another wale so that front loop portions consisting of different first yarns alternate on said one side, and so that first back loop portions extending between said first wales, and consisting of said different yarns alternate on said other side in each wale; drawing out said first back loop portions to form first pile loops on said other side; knitting after the knitting of each first course, second yarns from said other side to said one side of said base fabric to form second wales and second courses consisting of second loops having front loop portions on said other side and second back loop portions on said one side; placing said second loops in each successive second course in another second wale so that second loops consisting of different yarns alternate in each second course whereby second back loop portions of said second loops extend between said second wales; and drawing out said second back loop portions of said second loops on said one side of said base fabric to form second pile loops on said one side.

2. The method of claim 1 including transporting said base fabric in the direction of said wales after the knitting of each first and second-course a distance corresponding to half the distance between two successive first courses so that said first and second courses and said first and second pile loops are staggered.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first loops are placed in each successive first course alternately in two adjacent first wales; and wherein said second loops are placed in each successive second course alternately in two adjacent second Wales so that said back loop portions extend between adjacent wales.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second Wales are knitted and placed on said base fabric to register with said first wales; and wherein said first and second yarns are knitted during the drawing out of said second and first back loop portions, respectively.

5. Apparatus for making bilateral piles on a base fabric, comprising, in combination, transporting means for transporting a base fabric stepwise in one direction; first and second support combs located on opposite sides of said base fabric; first and second loop combs located on opposite sides of said base fabric adjacent said support combs, and including pairs of first and second sinkers, respectively; first and second yarn guide means located on opposite sides of said base fabric; first and second needle means respectively cooperating with said first and second yarn guide means, each first and second needle means being located on the side of said base fabric remote from the side on which the correlated first and second yarn guide means are located, respectively; and means for cyclically operating said first needle means, said transporting means, and said second needle means to form staggered first and second courses and registering first and second wales on opposite sides of said fabric, and to lay first and second back loop portions over said first and second sinkers, respectively, whereby staggered rows of drawn out first and second pile loops are formed on both sides of said base fabric.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said transporting means include transporting rollers transporting said base fabric between the operations of said first and second needle means a step equal to half the distance between two first courses.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first sinkers are located on the side of said base fabric remote from said first needle means; and wherein said second sinkers are located on the side of said base fabric remote from said second needle means; and wherein said first and second sinkers draw out said first and second back loop portions laid thereon by said first and second needle means, respectively.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and second needle means have the same number as said first and second sinkers, respectively, and are spaced from each other, respectively, the same distance as the correlated first and second sinkers, respectively.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein some of said needle means are located opposite correlated sinker means, and other needle means are located opposite a space betwen two sinker means whereby the back loop portions formed by said other needle means are not drawn o-ut and form no pile loops.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,133,520 3/1915 Wirth 60-87 3,309,900 3/1967 Wunsch 66-85 3,376,835 4/1968 Watkins 66-85 X 3,253,426 5/1966 Mauersberger 66-84 RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 66-85 

